Keene resident Jason Riddle, along with many other Trump supporters, stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.
As President Donald Trump started his next term, he pardoned those who participated in the riots on his behalf. Riddle, however, declined his pardon, stating, “It’s almost like he [Trump] was trying to say it didn’t happen. And it happened. I did those things, and they weren’t pardonable.”
While Riddle’s actions were small compared to others, he still destroyed government property. I wondered why someone would choose not to be pardoned for a crime, even if they did commit it. Riddle told his story in an NHPR interview with Rick Ganley.
Riddle is a recovering alcoholic who was still using alcohol at the time. He found himself fitting in easily, following the MAGA crowd. It is interesting to see how alcohol affected his morals. Almost his entire belief system seems to be founded on drinking. It was his first thought during the riot as well.
“I went in and spotted a liquor cabinet and – doing what a good alcoholic does — just poured myself a drink because why not?” he told Ganley.
Riddle served 90 days in prison for stealing government property during the riots. During that time he questioned his political beliefs but chose to keep the Trump supporter facade until he was released. Once his sentence was completed, Trump was indicted and asked his followers to protest via social media. Riddle recalled the last time Trump called to his followers. He realized the president lacked empathy.
“It’s got to be real hard for anyone working in that department with him coming back into office and now pardoning 1,500 people who assaulted their brothers and sisters on that day. And I think about them,” said Riddle, according to the NHPR article.
It was clear that Riddle’s sobriety helped him see the impact of his role in the Capitol riot and his empathy toward those whose lives were deeply affected showed. Riddle also thought about his future when declining the pardon. He was concerned that being pardoned may draw the attention of employers when applying for new jobs.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering if the job I’m applying to, if they like Trump,” he said to Ganley. He then stated how he now believes that change is necessary for survival referencing his new opinions on Trump.
While his previous actions at the nation’s capitol are not forgotten, by choosing to decline the pardon, Riddle took responsibility for his actions instead of allowing them to be excused.
Madelyn Marabella can be contacted at
mmarabella@kscequinox.com
